Knife-wielding woman is fatally shot by police in Long Beach
A woman who was allegedly wielding a knife and threatening people near a fast-food restaurant in Long Beach was fatally shot Sunday by police.
Authorities began receiving reports of a woman brandishing a knife about 11:15 a.m. near a Jack in the Box restaurant at 7th Street and Bellflower Boulevard, said Long Beach Police Sgt. James Richardson.
Valerie Simpson, a witness, told KABC-TV that the woman threatened multiple people.
“She wielded a knife and started jabbing it at me, so I put my cart in front of the way,” Simpson told the news station. Simpson said the woman made repeated attempts to stab her. Police reported that no bystanders were injured.
Officers arrived at the scene, encountered the woman outside the nearby Long Beach Veterans Administration Hospital, and at some point, at least one officer opened fire.
It was unclear what prompted police to shoot at the woman.
Paramedics rushed the woman to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead, Richardson said. Her name was not released pending notification of family members.
Investigators found a knife at the scene of the shooting, which is being reviewed by detectives at the Long Beach Police Department.
No officers were injured in the shooting, Richardson said.
Twitter: @MattHjourno
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